Ohtori fought for victories throughout his two-decade sumo career to advance in the sport of Japan, but today he is competing to amuse a different audience: curious tourists.

He is one of six former wrestlers performing sumo for tourists who are flocking back to Japan after more than two years of the Covid-19 embargo because the weakened yen has made international travel more affordable than it has been in decades.

Ohtori, whose full ring name is Koto-Ohtori, which translates to "harp phoenix," stated, "I want foreigners and Japanese people alike to have a greater understanding of sumo."

When asked about his harsh older brothers, he referred to his pro sumo wrestling days, which he started at the age of 15. Naturally, because I can interact with everyone now, it's more enjoyable.

A month after Japan resumed visa-free travel, his performance space, Yokozuna Tonkatsu Dosukoi Tanaka, opened in the heart of Tokyo in November 2022. A sumo ring and 14 tables are located beneath its vaulted canopy, where customers pay 11,000 yen (RM362) to eat breaded pork cutlets before watching—and even participating in—the action.

Yasuhiro Tanaka, a different former sumo wrestler, founded the restaurant after launching a business to give retired wrestlers a second career as performers in commercials and films. He stated that he is looking to bring on more wrestlers for evening shows.

On a recent afternoon, the English-speaking emcee referred to Ohtori's larger opponent, Towanoyama, as "Jumbo" for the benefit of the audience that was entirely foreign.

On a Covid-19-delayed trip for his daughter's "quinceanera" birthday party, Jose Aguillar, a quality-control manager from Monterrey, Mexico, enjoyed ringside tickets with his family. He expressed excitement about seeing something "iconic from Japan" in his remarks.

Aguillar was first in line when it was time to put on a soiled sumo outfit and fight Jumbo in the ring.

I initially remarked, "Oh, why did I decide to be the first one? After shoving a willing Jumbo out of the ring, Aguillar, 46, stated, "I (should) wait for others. No, it was very fantastic, though.

The prime minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida, thinks that the tourist industry would boost the country's economy by five trillion yen (RM160bil) annually. Since the May success of the sumo- themed Netflix drama Sanctuary, the sport of sumo has had a resurgence of its own.

Although the lunchtime shows are hilarious, the physical toll of sumo, which attracts teenagers and leaves many wrestlers with few job opportunities when they retire in their 30s, is evident in the surgery scars on Ohtori and Jumbo.

"As sumo wrestlers, we really couldn't play around at all," said Tanaka, 47, who acknowledged he wasn't a particularly good opponent.

"Now I want everyone to be able to earn a living and lead a fulfilling life," he said.